Correction Requires Pruning

 

Our next door neighbor loves pruning bushes. They have two near their front door that she has expertly shaped. We have the same bushes but never pruned them. As they started to get gangly, she offered to do it. In a brief time, they begin to fill in and look wonderful. Cutting back actually promoted growth. This is what Jesus was talking about in these verses:

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:1–2)

He goes on to describe the importance of a branch abiding in the vine, however these words tie to what Paul wrote to Timothy about pruning and correction as getting rid of what is not necessary so spiritual growth increases.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

In context, this terminology declares that the Word of God makes me stronger by getting rid of that which is unproductive by hindering spiritual growth and the production of spiritual fruit. It is about removing imperfections and promoting godliness.

Job knew this. He said, “The righteous holds to his way, and he who has clean hands grows stronger and stronger” (Job 17:9) another way of saying that pruning out the dead and useless things in life make God’s people cleaner and stronger.

The NT reinforces this in several ways:

And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6–7)

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Colossians 3:5–10)

A few weeks ago, I ‘pruned’ my closet. I put out everything that did not fit, was uncomfortable, or was mostly polyester (which makes me feel tired). Now I can pick anything to wear and know it will feel and look good. Pruning made a dramatic difference.

This also happens with other parts of life. I pruned our pantry. Amazing transformation. Hard-copy photos are getting the same treatment. Also, computer files. Life is more efficient. It’s easy to see that having sinful, selfish junk removed will make a difference, but not just that — what about stuff that isn’t necessarily bad or evil, it just uses valuable time, effort, or money that could all go to better causes.

I read once that time management issues are usually taken care of by eliminating timewasters. This can be things like: the telephone, social media, television, reading when there is work to do, self-pity and worry, being disorganized, lack of discipline, trying to do too much at once, unable to say “NO,” lack of focus, too much stuff/clutter, inefficient, procrastination, unfinished tasks, unnecessary tasks, not asking for help, and unable to prioritize.

The average Christian would likely not call these things sinful, yet the Bible does tell us to “number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12) and to “make the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)

PRAY: Jesus, I am convicted by these thoughts. I can waste time and procrastinate, partly because I just don’t feel like doing something, and it is usually something that eventually must be done anyway. Wasting time can also indicate a lack of confidence in You, for You have promised to give me all that I need to do all that You want me to do. I thank You for taking Your pruning shears after me and reminding me to stop wasting the valuable time You have given me. Strengthen me according to Your Word.

PONDER: How does the love of Christ surpass knowledge, that I may be filled with all the fullness of God? Isn’t it because He is able to do far more abundantly than all that I ask or think, according to the power at work within me? Should not everything I do be done to glorify Him? FOCUS! (Ephesians 3:19–21)

 

 

Measuring Truth

 

Jesus and the written Word of God is the standard by which all teaching should be measured, but that does not mean all teaching is false. Years ago, I took a course from a Bible school that introduced me to the idea that “All truth is God’s truth.” Some will say, “If it isn’t in the Bible, God did not say it” yet there are many realities not covered in Scripture that are true. Not only that, biblical truths can be expressed without a chapter and verse or any indication that they came from God’s Word, yet they are still true. Discerning these things means knowing Jesus and knowing the Bible so well that truth and falsehood can easily be spotted.

Case in point: last night we were invited to attend a large meeting of NA, Narcotics Anonymous. It was called “Cake Night” where several people stood and told about being clean for certain periods of time. Some were still struggling, but many were able to conquer their addiction for more than a decade. All of them confessed how this was impossible in their own strength and most told how God helped them and how much they needed the support of others too. A few used ‘colorful’ language, but for the most part, it was an exciting evening of hearing people confess their weaknesses and failures and share how God brought them to a better place. Humility and honesty stood out.

We left that meeting feeling as we had been worshiping, and at the same time wondering why most church gatherings did not glorify God as much as this gathering of people who fight the specific sin of addiction to narcotics. What does it take to bring a sinner to the foot of the cross and to openly admit their selfishness, their stubborn nature, and their helplessness to the point of crying out for help? Don’t we all battle something?

MacArthur speaks of the false teaching that led Jim Jones and his cult followers to commit suicide. He rightly said that spiritual deception is a serious issue to God. The Greek word translated “reproof” in 2 Timothy 3:16 means “to rebuke or confront someone regarding misconduct or false teaching.”

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

MacArthur also says, “If you have a thorough grasp of Scripture, you have a standard by which to measure all teaching.” He focuses on being able to easily recognize false doctrine and avoiding spiritual deception, but what about being able to acknowledge truth? I wondered what the average Christian would think of an NA meeting where people openly admit their sin and openly confess that without God they would be dead. How did they know their ‘habit’ was evil? It was a rough looking crew. The man sitting in front of me had green hair and several nose rings. But the point was, they struggled with a specific sin and admitted it. They talked also of overcoming and beginning to “give back” by helping others conquer their sin. Isn’t that biblical?

False religions share one lie: that we can save ourselves and we do not need God. They may have a moral code, but a relationship with God is not there, only a pretense or a claim but without substance, only lots of “I did it” talk. That was absent at this meeting.

PRAY: Jesus, these men and women blessed my heart with their stories and with the strong sense of support they have for one another and their battle with sin. They celebrated their victories and openly wept and hugged one another. They also told of how their sin had ruined their lives and how God and the support of one another was rebuilding what had been lost. Their integrity was obvious, an attitude I’d like to see more of when Christians get together in Bible studies and prayer gatherings. Your truth is truth, in a church service or in a college classroom, or wherever You are changing lives.

PONDER: There is a big difference between what we witnessed last night and the people I know who belong to cults or liberal ‘Christian’ denominations. Those groups need prayer and truth too, so they can be released from the deception that being “religious” or trying harder is the truth that will set them free.